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Yves Saint Laurent, considered by many as the greatest fashion designer of the 20th Century, has died in Paris at the age of 71<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n Saint Laurent<\/span> changed the face of the fashion industry when he became chief designer of the House of Dior at 21. <\/span><\/p>\n He designed clothes that reflected women’s changing role in society: more confident personally, sexually and in the work-place. <\/span><\/p>\n He retired from haute couture in 2002 and had been ill for some time. Saint Laurent died on Sunday evening in the French capital, the Pierre-Berge-Saint Laurent Foundation announced. <\/span><\/p>\n Pierre Berge, the designer’s former business and personal partner, said he had died at his home after a long illness. He did not give details. French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to Saint Laurent’s “creative genius”. <\/span><\/p>\n ‘I draw on woman’<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n “I found my style through women,” Saint Laurent once said. <\/span><\/p>\n “That’s where its strength and vitality comes from because I draw on the body of a woman.” <\/span><\/p>\n He changed forever what women wear, introducing trouser suits, safari jackets and sweaters, BBC arts correspondent Razia Iqbal notes. <\/span><\/p>\n Saint Laurent<\/span> was a great innovator, helping to revitalise haute couture while making ready-to-wear design popular. <\/span><\/p>\n The editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, said he had helped democratise fashion: <\/span><\/p>\n “Before that people had small salons for rich people. <\/span><\/p>\n “Saint Laurent brought it to the people. <\/span><\/p>\n “He was young and groovy. Pop stars were hanging out with him and younger generations related to him.” <\/span><\/p>\n ‘Devastating’ news<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n President Sarkozy said the designer had been “the first to elevate haute couture to the rank of art and that gave him global influence”. <\/span><\/p>\n YSL ‘understood what women really wanted’<\/span><\/p>\n “Yves Saint Laurent infused his label with his creative genius, elegant and refined personality… because he was convinced that beauty was a necessary luxury for all men and all women,” he added. <\/span><\/p>\n Speaking on French radio, Pierre Berge said his former partner had empowered women. <\/span><\/p>\n